WHAT ARE CONTEXT CLUES?

Text book writers usually know when they must use a word that will be new to their student readers. So they often include other words or phrases to help with the understanding of the new word. These words or phrases are referred to as context clues. They are built into the sentences around the difficult word. If you become more aware of the words around the difficult words you encounter in your reading, you will save your self many trips to the dictionary. You will be able to make logical guesses about the meanings of many words.

FOUR TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES.

1. Examples  2. Synonyms and definitions 3. Antonyms and contrasts 4. Experience or sense of the sentence

WHAT ARE EXAMPLE CLUES?

Using examples or illustrations, an author tries to show what a word means. A writer may give just one example or several. Remember that these examples are not synonyms. Look for words or phrases like "such as," "including," or "consists of." Colons (:) and dashes (-) can also signal examples.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES CLUES

The river was full of noxious materials such as cleaning agents from factories and pesticides from the nearby farms. This third grade was full of precocious children. One child had learned to read at two and another could do algebra at age 6. When going to an office party you should show your best decorum, for example, dress your best, drink and eat moderately, and be sure to thank the host before you leave.

FOUR TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES.
The four types of context clues are:

1. Definition/Explanation Clues/Example

Sometimes a word's or phrase's meaning is explained immediately following its use.  Example:
"Etymology, which is the study of the origin of words, finds many teachers taking the bull by its horns when unraveling the mysteries of vocabulary studies."

2. Restatement/Synonym Clues/Definition

Sometimes a challenging word or phrase is clarified in simpler language. Example:
"Lou felt as though she had been sent to the doghouse when Louisa admonished her for fighting at school."
Because the phrase "being sent to the doghouse" means being punished, admonish could mean to disapprove or to scold.

3. Contrast/Antonym Clues

Sometimes a word or phrase is clarified by the presentation of the opposite meaning somewhere close to its use. Look for signal words when applying context clues. Example:
"Lou thought that her mother's recovery was futile, but Oz remained faithful to the course of his mother's restored health."
The signal word but tells the reader that an opposite, contrasting thought is occurring. Consequently, futile must mean the opposite of remaining faithful to the course; therefore, it must mean giving up.

4. Inference/General Context Clues/Experience

Sometimes a word or phrase is not immediately clarified within the same sentence. Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied. The reader must look for clues within, before, and after the sentence in which the word is used. Example:
"Dementia almost overcame Lou when she stepped off the train at Rainwater Ridge and felt as crazy as a betsy bug as she realized how different her new life would be."
Dementia can be defined as being insane because the phrase "as crazy as a betsy bug" indicates insanity. Another example:
The nurse in Wish You Well states that she would "...require a free reign in overseeing the children. These two need discipline, and I intend to provide it."
The idiomatic phrase, "a free reign," can be defined by looking for clues in the second sentence. The nurse wants the freedom to discipline the two children her way because she has noticed how undisciplined they already are, and she is determined to provide it all by herself.

Analyzing Idiomatic Expressions
Part 1. Analyze the meanings of some common idiomatic expressions. Read each statement and decide the meaning of the italicized phrase. The first one is done as an example.

1. He was on the carpet for not finishing his essay on Baldacci.

• Definition: on the carpet means in trouble. 
• Explanation: Because he had not finished his essay on time, he was going to be in trouble.
• Context Clue: Inference (The words not finishing infer getting into trouble.)

2. Her impressive PowerPoint presentation on Appalachian dialect swept the teacher off her feet.

• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue: 

3. Although getting lost caused the adventure into the woods to get off on the wrong foot, Lou and Oz ended up having a wonderful experience once Diamond found them.

• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue: 

Part 2. In order to present a clearer image of Appalachian life during the 1930s, David Baldacci employs many idiomatic expressions in Wish You Well. Read each of the following quotations, and think about the definition of each italicized idiomatic expression. Analyze the expression by supplying its definition, explanation, and context clue. Then share your thoughts with your partner.

1. "They's the toughest things God ever made, and them durn critters keep grudges till kingdom come. Don't never forget one smack of the whip, or slip of a shoeing nail."

• Analyze the idiomatic expression till kingdom come:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

2. "'Because I'm tired of dirt and mules and manure and hauling water,' said Lou. She patted her pocket. 'And because I've got twenty dollars I brought with me from New York that's burning a hole in my pocket,' she added, staring at him."

• Analyze the idiomatic expression burning a hole in my pocket:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

3. "And most of the businesses here rely on those people spending those mining dollars. If that goes away, then it might not seem so prosperous anymore. A house of cards falls swiftly."

• Analyze the idiomatic expression a house of cards:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

4. "Lou said, 'Diamond, tell me why you put horse manure in that man's car.'
   'Can't tell you, 'cause I ain't do it.'
   'Diamond, come on. You as good as admitted you did to Cotton.'
   'Got me oak ears, can't hear nuthin' you saying.'" 

• Analyze the idiomatic expression oak ears:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

5. "'They have more fields and livestock than we do,' Lou said. 'So how come they don't have anything to eat?'
   'Cause their daddy want it that way. Tight with a dollar. Didn't let none go till his feet wedged agin root.'"

• Analyze the idiomatic expression his feet wedged agin root:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

6. "The barn was fully ablaze. Lou and Oz hauled buckets of water from the springhouse, but Lou knew it was like trying to melt snow with your breath."

• Analyze he idiomatic expression trying to melt snow with your breath:
• Definition:
• Explanation:
• Context Clue:

How to Guess the Meaning of Unknown Words Step 1: Decide if you need to know the meaning of the word in order to understand the sentence or the paragraph. If you do, then try to guess the meaning from context. If you don’t, then SKIP OVER  the word. Forget it.

Because of the heat, Martin collapsed.

What happened to Martin?

Do you need to know the meaning of this word?

Yes! If you do not know, you will not know what happened to Martin.

Because of the heat, Martin decided to collapse on the couch instead of going outside.

What happened to Martin?

Do you need to know the meaning of this word?

No. Martin decided not to go outside. He is going to stay on the couch. That is all the reader needs to know about Martin. So there is no need to understand what "collapsed" means.

Step 2: If there is a word that you don’t know BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO UNDERSTAND the sentence or the paragraph, you should imagine that there is a blank line there. Then substitute a word that you know in the space. This word will probably be similar in meaning to the word that you don’t know, as long as the sentence still makes sense.

In the following paragraph, some words have been left out. Read all the sentences; then go back and fill in the words you think belong in the blanks. When Columbus made his second                          to the new                     in 1494, he sailed too far south, missing Hispaniola, and reaching Jamaica. He went ashore to find fresh water for his                         , discovered a lake within walking distance, and ordered his sailors to fill the casks with fresh                      . He knew it was fresh for he had                       it himself.

You probably had little trouble choosing words to fill in the blanks to make sense of the sentences because of the help you got from the context.  The words are: voyage, world, crew, water, tasted. When you see an unfamiliar word in your reading, just pretend there is a blank there instead of a word and fill it in with a word of your own that makes sense in the sentence. In many cases, the word you choose will be close in meaning to the word you don't know.

Direct Context Clues (1) Many U.S. companies are downsizing -- or reducing the number of employees -- order to say money and increase the amount of profit that the companies can make. (2) Sports are universal, and very few people have not succumbed, or given in, to their lure at one time or another. (3) The restaurant specializes in European gourmet foods such as paella (a rice based dish from Spain), crepes (an egg based food from France), and torte (a fruit pastry dish from Germany). These sentences contain an unfamiliar word, but also include a word or phrase which directly explains or defines the word. These words or phrases are called DIRECT CONTEXT CLUES. They may be set off by dashes (as in example 1), or commas (as in 2), or by parentheses (as in 3) or other punctuation.

Indirect Context Clues Sometimes there are no direct context clues; that is, there is no explanation or definition given in the sentence. But you may still be able to guess to meaning of the word that you do not know. For example, have you ever been on a diet? If you have, then you have personal experience that may help you to guess the meanings of some of the following words. 1) You've gone diet after diet yet still haven't shed those unwanted pounds, or -- worse -- your weight it actually going up! In this sentence, the best meaning for shed is: a) taken in b) taken off c) put on d) put in                                                              Remember to use the substitution method -- especially if you are given multiple choice questions. Put each answer in place of the underlined word and decide which one makes the best sense. You've gone diet after diet yet still haven't taken in those unwanted pounds, or -- worse -- your weight it actually going up! You've gone diet after diet yet still haven't taken off those unwanted pounds, or -- worse -- your weight it actually going up! You've gone diet after diet yet still haven't put on those unwanted pounds, or -- worse -- your weight it actually going up! You've gone diet after diet yet still haven't put in those unwanted pounds, or -- worse -- your weight it actually going up! As you can see, only one answer, "b" makes sense when substituted in the sentence. 2) The problem could be your metabolism -- your body's "operating speed" -- which determines the rate at which you burn calories. Metabolism is: This context clue is: a) direct b) indirect                                                               3) If you have fast metabolism, you'll burn calories quickly and easily. If your metabolism runs slowly, no matter how little you eat, a greater portion of the calories you consume will be stored as fat. The best meaning for portion is: a) quality b) particle c) amount d) bigger                                            The best meaning for consume is: a) contain b) eat c) condition d) have                                                                These context clues are: a) direct b) indirect                                  4) But don't give up. Recent research shows it's possible to rev up a sluggish metabolism so you can burn calories and lose weight faster. Sluggish means: a) quick b) strange c) lazy d) slow                                                  5) In addition to slow metabolism, other essential factors can make or break your diet. Essential means: a) important b) unnecessary c) eager d) eating                           6) Take temptation for instance. Is it impossible for you to stick to a diet because you can't resist eating too many of the wrong things? Temptation comes from the verb tempt, which means: a) to test, try b) to tell, say c) to overeat d) to react                                   Resist means: a) pertain b) withstand c) react d) avoid                                                Keep in mind that you may not need to guess the meaning of every word that you see. As you begin to read faster, you should guess the meaning of words that you do not know by using the context clues given. It takes too long to look up many words in the dictionary. But there are times when you do not need to guess the meaning of a word either -- you can skip over the word completely.

When to Use Context Clues, When to Use the Dictionary and When to Skip Over a Word
There is no rule! You -- the reader -- must decide whether a word is important to the meaning of what you are reading or not. If the word is important, then you should first try to guess its meaning. If that doesn’t work, then you must look the word up in the dictionary. On the other hand, if the word is not important, then skip over the word completely.
So how do you know if a word is important or not? Here are a few guidelines to help you decide.

• If you cannot understand the Main Idea without understanding a word, then it is important.
• If the word is in the title or one of the subtitles, it is probably important.
• If the word is the subject or main verb of a sentence, it may be important.
• If the word is repeated several times, it may be important.
• If you do not feel comfortable without knowing a word, then it is important to you, so guess at it!
•  

Practice:  Is the underlined word in the following sentences important or unimportant? Do you need to understand the word in order to understand the entire sentence?
Leo ate so much fettucine that he could not eat another bite. He felt like his stomach would explode.
Is fetticine important?
a) yes
b) no                                                                
 What can you guess about this word? It must be a kind of food because we know that Leo ate so much of it, but do you need to know what kind of food it is? No -- so this is not important.
Is explode important?
a) yes
b) no                                                            
 What can you guess about this word? How does Leo’s stomach feel? How would your stomach feel if you ate "so much" of something? You may not know the meaning of this word, but you can guess that Leo’s stomach is full of food and he feels uncomfortable because of that. In this case, the word explode is important in order to understand how Leo feels, so you need to guess at the meaning of this word.
Context Clues or the Dictionary?
Once you have decided that a word is important to understand the meaning of the sentence or paragraph, you must either use context clues or use the dictionary. Start with context clues because it is faster and easier to guess -- especially if a direct context clue is given. Use the dictionary only if it is impossible to guess from the context because consulting the dictionary will cause you to stop reading completely to look up a word.
Context Clues help you guess the meaning of unknown words as you read, to save you time, effort and trouble - no one has time to look up every word in the dictionary! You should be able to tell when the context gives you enough clues to guess the meaning, and when the context is not enough. Not all unfamiliar words will have adequate context clues. At times you may HAVE to consult the DICTIONARY!

Context Clues I

Pretest

Choose the best meaning of the underlined word.
1. The first review on the Harry Potter movie was favorable. Many people attended and enjoyed the movie. Some people even saw the movie three times!
a. negative
b. uncertain
c. positive
d. clear
2. Her quiet, timid ways made us guess at her true feelings about the story because she kept her ideas to herself and never spoke in the class.
a. shy
b. boisterous
c. kind
d. seriously
3. He was found running down the street after curfew, and his parents were penalized. The ticket read: "Illegally in the streets at 1:00A.M." Now he would have to pay the ticket with his own money.
a. crooked
b. fined
c. delicate
d. informed
4. The woman crossed her fingers as her daughter did the cheer. She was hoping that everything would work out for her daughter as she vied for a position on the squad. Her daughter wanted to be a cheerleader.
a. shouted
b. enclosed
c. expanded
d. tried
5. The boy knew that the lake was teeming, and overflowing with bass, so he brought a big net to help get the fish in the boat.
a. rare
b. enclave
c. full
d. sparse
6. It was difficult to listen to Tommy speak because he droned on and on just like a buzzer that won't stop buzzing.
a. ideal
b. same tone
c. lively
d. scared
7. The lithe girl was perfect for the basketball team because she was all muscle and could play well.
a. lean
b. cubed
c. thick
d. eerie
8. Thomas went to the apex of the mountain, and because it was so high, he had to take a tank of oxygen with him.
a. bottom
b. breathe
c. top
d. clear
9. The apparatus that Jill used to connect the fabric was similar to a sewing machine, but this one did all of the work while she just pushed a button.
a. idea
b. zipper
c. instrument
d. singular
10. The frigid air seemed to suck his breathe away as he attempted to finish his first snowman of the season
a. deficient
b. sappy
c. thick
d. cold

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